George West Frazer (1830-1896)

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 7
Listen from:
Gathered to the Lord’s Name
Hymns #140, 141, 162, 188, 200, 244, 245, 265, Appendix #7, 15, 37, 46, 66, 74 (14 hymns).
Mr. George W. Frazer was born in Bally, Ireland about the year 1830. His father was of a family from Inverness, Scotland, although born in Tralee, Ireland, where he later became a police inspector.
In 1850 George was brought to face eternal realities through the preaching of an evangelist named Guinness. The meetings were held in Dublin, Ireland and George’s brother, who was a saved man, wanted him to go, but he refused. Later he heard that the place was so crowded that there was no room. This made him decide that he was going to hear the preaching. He climbed the rainleader to an upper window and perched himself on the ledge. What text did the preacher read? “Yet there is room”! (Luke 14:22). The attendant circumstances with this text made a deep impression on his young mind. He was twenty at the time. He climbed down in an unhappy state of mind. He spent two anxious weeks until one night in deep anguish he exclaimed, “If I must perish, I am resolved to perish at His feet;” and there and then he cast himself at the feet of Jesus. Later he was brought into full peace of soul by resting on 1 Timothy 1:15.
Some years later he left his position at the bank and went out into the Lord’s work completely. He moved to Cheltenham where he was the neighbor of C.H.M. That he enjoyed and entered into the meaning of the breaking of bread is fully evidenced by hymns 245 and 188. The Lord’s coming and God’s eternal counsels are also set forth in hymns 140 and 141. He also wrote the gospel hymn, “Come! hear the gospel sound, ‘Yet there is room’,” and no doubt this was connected with the night when he was first awakened to his need. In his last moments the joy of the Lord was his portion. He said to those around, “It is infinitely more to me to be with Christ.” On January 24, 1896 he was taken home where he is awaiting “the archangel’s heaven-sent cry” in the place of joy and rest. We shall all soon join him there. (Rev. 22:20)
“We know Thee now exalted high,
Ourselves in Thee accepted;
We wait the hour which now draws nigh,
Thy coming long expected.
Till Thou dost come we still would be
With grateful hearts remembering Thee.”